


I wish...

by PerriewinkleNerdie



Category: Open Heart (Visual Novel)
Genre: F/M, Implied/Referenced Character Death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-31
Updated: 2019-08-31
Packaged: 2020-10-03 23:43:31
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 17,524
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20461478
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PerriewinkleNerdie/pseuds/PerriewinkleNerdie
Summary: People deal with loss in different ways. And fire is a force that will take away everything you hold dear.





	1. Fire

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, hello, hello! A new beginning so to speak! This is one of many fics that I posted on Tumblr, one of many that I will transfer here. I started with this one over there, so it's only fitting that I start with this one here as well.  
Enjoy! <3

That day started like any other day. Doctors came in, got files of their patients and went to work, helping people in need and guarding their lives. The sun was high in the sky, no clouds and no wind, it was quiet and calm.

  
Ethan Ramsey was crossing the call, a look of annoyance on his face broken by a small smile. His patient refused to stay in bed. Again. For third day in a row. They were bickering about it, his persona a little softer for his patients. He was deep in his thoughts when he heard the alarm go off. Some sort of emergency was happening. He went to every room in the hall and helped the patients get to the emergency exit, making sure not to leave anyone behind. When he was sure everyone was safe, he took one last look at the hall and went out himself, keeping his patients as calm as he could in those circumstances.

  
A hoard of people began leaving the building, nurses, doctors, patients and their families and friends. He saw dr. Emery along with dr. Mirani and dr. Delarosa, a little further a group of interns. Patients were everywhere, no one knew what was happening. He approached his coworkers.

  
“Do you know what is going on? Who set off the alarm?” he asked, looking around to check on his surroundings.

  
“I have no idea. I was coming down from the ER when it started.” Harper turned around just in time to see police arrive. They went inside. Everything around Ethan was screaming. People were talking, crying, panicking despite their best efforts to calm them down. The police came over to them and started asking questions. No one knew how to answer them. Some doctors said they saw a middle-aged man enter the hospital with a suspicious look on his face but that was it. He was said to be looking for his daughter, she was admitted to the hospital three days ago.

  
The police officers started checking if everyone left the building.

  
“Is everyone out and safe?” the officer shouted.

  
“We’re missing one intern!” one of the young doctors shouted back, coming closer, a group of people behind him.

  
“Who? Name?”

  
“Dr. Clarissa Herondale. She isn’t here. She’s nowhere to be found as a matter of fact. We checked. She must still be in there.” A young woman said. Ethan recognized her, she was one of Clarissa’s friends and roommates, Dr. Trinh he believed was her name.

  
Clarissa. At this name his heart sped up. Their relationship was…interesting. She intrigued him. Impossibly smart and courageous, brave and selfless, a great listener, compassionate and bright. The mere thought of her brought a tiny smile onto his face. He knew they couldn’t exactly be together, at least not now, not when the competition was getting more serious and especially not when they both had Harper breathing down their backs, suspecting something. He thanks the lord he got Naveen moved for three days to the private clinic on the other side of Boston to do more complex tests which couldn’t be done at the hospital. Clarissa was a great help in the whole situation. She was his moral support, he felt lighter knowing he didn’t have to carry the burden on his own. Now he had her to help him. And he was impossibly grateful and happy that she was there for him…for them both.

  
However, in current situation, her name didn’t bring a smile to his face. He frowned. Then he got worried, looking franticly at the building, not sure what he was supposed to do.

  
“Are you sure she isn’t somewhere between the patients?” Ethan asked, turning towards a group of interns, trying to keep his face neutral and failing miserably.

  
“She would have found us by now. You know she would.” Dr. Trinh said, worry on her face clearly visible.

  
“We’ll have our team look for her, okay? Try to think positively.” The officer concluded and went away to report one person missing.

  
Two people approached the officer standing within their earshot.

  
“Sorry, we can’t find out daughter. She was admitted here three days ago. Lucy Brown? She’s twelve.” The woman said, gripping her husband’s hand tightly.

  
“We’re sorry to hear that, I promise we’ll look for her.” He looked at them and ran towards his team.

  
Ines lowered her voice so bystanders couldn’t hear her.

  
“That man…the suspicious one…he was looking for that little girl, their daughter. Do you think he wanted to kidnap her?”

  
“That is an option. Let’s not jump into conclusions though, okay?” Zaid said calmly.

  
The pair went to the police car, called over by the officer. The woman shouted.

  
“It’s him! What was he doing here?!” she covered her mouth with her hand, tears streaming down her face. Her husband embraced her.

  
“He was looking for her. Do you know why?”

  
“Yeah…um…he is my ex-husband. He is… abusive. I divorced him and met Patrick” she stopped to look at the man next to her. “We married and had our daughter. But Louis…” she pointed towards the screen, referring to the man in question “…he didn’t like it. He kept on harassing us, claiming that Lucy is his daughter, that she should live with him. He kept on coming to our house. After one night of screaming and arguing he said we’d pay for taking his daughter away from him. I didn’t know he would do something so…horrible.” She concluded, turning to her husband, hiding her face in his arm.

  
“Where was dr. Herondale the last time anyone saw her?” the officer came back towards them.

  
“She was in the pediatric department if I’m not wrong.” Dr. Olsen answered, “Why do you ask?”

  
“Well…we have a child missing and a doctor missing…what are the chances that Dr. Herondale took the girl and they hid somewhere in the hospital because they saw the attacker approaching?”

  
“That’s actually possible, officer.” Dr. Delarosa nodded her head, concern taking over her features. “I hope they both are okay.”

  
“We’ll look for them, okay? Don’t worry.” He thanked them and went back towards the car.

  
Suddenly there was this loud crash heard and a smell of gasoline reached their noses. They turned towards the hospital to see one floor of the building becoming more orange as time went on. Flames were slowly escaping through the windows. Firefighters arrived a few minutes later and immediately went into action.  
They worked for the next few hours relentlessly. They managed to put out the fire, then started to sweep the building, looking for any people trapped inside. While doing it they reported that the man who was responsible for the whole thing escaped the scene through the back door when the fire started, everyone too distracted to do anything. Search parties were sent out but to no avail so far.

  
Minutes seemed like hours and hours seemed like days. Nothing was happening, forces were working but they didn’t find anything. It was very late in the evening, all patients were distributed to other hospitals and clinics to minimize the risk of anyone hurting themselves. The doctors stayed though. Waiting with the family of a little girl, waiting for any news.

  
The clock struck 9 PM when firefighters and police officers finally went out of the building, their faces grim. They approached their chief, standing closely to them, everything was so quiet they could hear their conversation as though they were standing next to them.

  
“Chief… we found the source of the fire.”

  
“So? Where?”

  
“The bastard… set the supply closet on fire…”

  
“That’s good right? It’s just a supply closet. So where is that kid and a doctor?” he questioned.

  
“Sir… you don’t understand… he burned the closet down… with two people inside. We managed to open the door. Young female and a little girl…” He said, his face twisting with anger and sadness.

  
Ethan stood there, still as a concreate wall. His world stopped spinning. His heart stopped beating. He stopped breathing. He couldn’t do anything. Anything at all.  
He couldn’t believe the next sentence that left officer’s mouth.

  
“…Dr. Herondale and Lucy Brown are dead.”


	2. Regrets

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When all is said and done, what's left in this cruel world, except for lost chances and missed opportunities?

Ethan was running. He had to get to her, it didn’t matter how or what he had to do. He had to save her. What kind of doctor he would be if he couldn’t save her, of all people? He didn’t give police officers nor firemen time or an opportunity to stop him. He burst through the door, running towards the pediatric department, his legs burning but that didn’t matter.

He stood in a middle of a long corridor, looking frantically around him, trying to locate the forsaken closet. Dark marks on the walls made by fire and smoke lead him towards the door by the wall. They were black, completely destroyed. He opened them with force, he probably shouldn’t have done that but he was too desperate to think his actions through. He went inside the room and stopped dead in his tracks. On the floor there were two weirdly looking… something. He couldn’t identify what they were, they were destroyed with the brutal force of fire.

  
It took him a moment to realize that those two things in front of him weren’t just objects. They were bodies. Human bodies, burned and deformed. His eyes caught a glimpse of something by the head of one of them, a flash of red…almost like… red hair…

  
Ethan woke up, wet with sweat, breathing hard. He looked around his room. It was still dark but he could see the sun peaking through the horizon. He glanced at the clock. It read 4.30 AM. He still had thirty minutes before his alarm went off but he knew he wouldn’t get more sleep. Three days. That’s how much time passed since that fateful day. Three days since he last saw her. For the last time. His mind still couldn’t wrap itself around it.

  
Clarissa Herondale was dead.

  
He would never again see her smile at him while walking down the hall, that full of light smile that singlehandedly lightened up his every day for the past eight months. Those beautiful eyes that he could drown in even though he would deny ever having that thought if someone accused him of it. He could very vividly remember the last time they talked. They were discussing Naveen’s case, late at night in his office, three cups of coffee already behind them. They were exchanging their ideas, making small talk in between to cope somehow with the whole situation. They were gathering their things to get home when she turned to him.

“Dr. Ramsey…can I hug you?” she smiled a little, a shy smile that engraved itself into his mind forever.

  
“And just why would you want to do that?” he asked, the corners of his lips going up despite his best effort.

  
“I don’t know… you just seem like you need one.”

  
He crossed the room and took her in his arms, placing his hands on her shoulder blades. She wounded her arms around his waist, burying her head in his chest, inhaling deeply. His right hand moved lower to the small of her back, pressing her closer to him while his other hand touched her hair, soft, silky-smooth strands falling through his fingers. He hid his face in her hair a little, breathing in the sweet scent of her perfume and shampoo. They stood like this for a couple of minutes, neither of them saying a word, some sort of a magic spell hanging in the air, too fragile and to beautiful for either of them to want to break it. Finally, they leaned back to look at each other.

  
“Thank you… you were right. I did need it.” His hands still pressed against her back.

  
“You are most certainly welcome. I’m open to hugs anytime you may need one… or two… or more for that matter!” they both laughed at that.

  
“Have a good night, get home safe.” He bid her goodbye, flashed a small smile in her direction and turned around towards his desk to finish gathering his thing.

  
Suddenly he heard her steps coming closer to him. She stood beside him, rose to her tiptoes and kissed his cheek tenderly.

  
“Goodnight, Ethan.” She whispered and went towards the door. he turned around to take one last look at her, shock and curiosity on his face. She winked at him and went out the door, shutting it behind her.

  
He felt a mix of emotions. Laying alone in his bed, everything is dark, his mind is screaming. If only he had known it was the last time he would ever talk to her, last time he got to touch her, hear her laugh, hold her in his arms. He did see her that awful day. She went past him in one of the halls, shot him a big smile, her eyes so full of life.

  
“I’ll finish up with my patients and meet you in your office?”

  
“Yes, please. See you soon.” He responded, a soft smile rising on his face.

  
He wanted to tell her that day. That she is important to him. That he values her more than anybody else in this whole world. That she is what makes him want to wake up everyday, no matter how bad it may be. He wanted to tell her he’s falling for her. Hard and fast.

  
If only he had known.

  
He tried to fall back asleep but every time he closed his eyes she appeared right before them as though she was standing there, smiling at him warmly. He reached his hand out, trying to touch her, feel her skin under his fingertips but every time he took a step towards her she took a step back. So close yet so far. He woke up to the sound of his alarm. Sleep didn’t bring him any salvation, his mind was always moving in one direction. And that direction was her and her only.

  
He went to the hospital, his mind absent, trying so hard to block out his emotions, to not feel anything. Focusing on his patients helped but not as much as he hoped it would.  
He was more annoyed than usual, snapping at other interns, ignoring his colleagues. Harper tried to grab his attention about issues regarding the hospital but he blew her off. He put up walls around him, becoming even more closed off than he was before. Ethan couldn’t even look in the direction of pediatric department, he wouldn’t dare take a step in that direction. Every time he crossed the never-ending halls of the hospital he hoped she would be there, ready with a smile and a witty comeback to his usual grumpiness, which tended to suspiciously disappear whenever he was with her.

  
But that would never happen again.

  
Only once he was in his office, late at night did he come to a terrifying realization. He was alone again. No one to lean on with Naveen’s case. He just got her as a friend… and now she was taken away from him. He broke down. Tears started streaming down his face, his whole body shaking with sobs, his breaths short. He pulled his knees to his chest and laid down on the couch. He regretted not talking to her more often. He regretted not telling her about Naveen sooner. He regretted every single time he was rude to her. But most importantly…

  
… he regretted not telling her how much she meant to him.


	3. Anger

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Emotions rise, frustration grows and unanswered questions linger in his mind as he struggles to adjust to the world without her.

They say there are five stages of getting over a dramatic part of your life. Denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance. Well, he was sure as hell that acceptance is NOT going to happen.

Ethan wasn’t sure he’d ever be able to accept the fact that she’s gone. It’s been four weeks now. Not that he noticed, days were melting into one big mess. A mess that never seemed to end

To add salt to the wound, the bastard that killed her is still on the loose, flying under the radar of police.

Naveen was trying to get him to talk to him, to no avail. The old man was worried about the younger doctor, he saw his walls go down with everyday Ethan spent with Clarissa and just like that, with her gone, his walls came up twice as high.

Every night Ethan would come home, do his normal routine, putting no thought into it. Then he would lay in his bed, afraid to close his eyes. But at the same time, he couldn’t wait until he did. Because that’s the only way he could see her. And she was always there, with her green, sparkling eyes and a smile reserved only for him. But just as a dream, she was unreachable. An empty vision of his mind. he longed for one more day with her, one more conversation, one more glance, one more smile. He wishes he kissed her when he had a chance. Now that’s forever out of his reach. He knows that if he was to be granted one more chance to see her, he’d hold her and never let her go again.

His work life has become difficult, driving people even more away from him, avoiding everyone, drowning deep in his thoughts. His only contact to the outside world was Naveen. But even that couldn’t be exactly called a door to the outside as he was hidden from everyone else himself. Ethan appreciated his mentor’s help in getting better but he just wasn’t ready to move on quite yet. He wasn’t sure if he ever will be.

He was walking… no, that’s an understatement. He was _running_ down the halls of the hospital, not letting anyone talk to him when his phone ringed. It was Harper, asking him to come down to her office. He let out a lungful of air and went there, annoyed.

He was surprised to see more people in there than he expected. Harper was sitting behind her desk while police officers were standing by the wall. He noticed on the left side of the room, on the couch there were two people. He recognized them, they were parents of that little girl Claire died trying to save.

“Dr. Ramsey, thank you for getting here so quickly. Officers have a few questions left that they would like to ask regarding the… events of last few weeks.” She said, no emotion in her voice.

“Yes… of course, officers. If you have some questions to me directly perhaps you would like us to move to my office for some peace and quiet?”

“Yes, Mr. Ramsey, that would be ideal. Let’s go.” The officer nodded and headed after Ethan, his colleagues staying behind with Harper and parents.

He opened his office door to let the other man, then enters the room himself and closes the door behind him, sat down in his chair, while the officer took a seat in front of him.

“What can I do for you, sir?” Ethan started, his face betraying his emotions, his exhaustion, his pain.

“Are you sure you’re alright? You seem a little pale, we can do this another time…”

“No, it’s fine. Let’s get it over with.”

“Okay… well, for starters, I’m detective Matt Cordato.” He extended his hand towards the doctor and men shook their hands. “I have just a few questions and then I’ll let you get back to your duties. Can we start?”

“Please.”

“Thank you. so, do you know who the attacker was? Did you see anything suspicious that day?”

“I didn’t really see anything out of order until the alarm started. I have no idea who that man is, but let me tell you, officer, it’s in his best interest not to cross my path.”

“Why is that?”

“It doesn’t sit with me well that I lose two people in one day. I just hate being helpless. There was nothing I could do to help that little girl… or Claire…” his pain was shining through his voice, his shoulders slumped.

“I take it you knew who dr. Herondale was?”

“Yes. Claire… I mean, dr. Herondale was… an exceptional young doctor, promising, smart and loyal, selfless and dedicated to helping people, no matter what the cost is… the cost was too high.” He whispered that last part, his eyes closing.

“You two were close?” the detective asks, trying to comfort the doctor. There in front of him was a broken man. It was crystal clear that the doctor was infatuated with this poor woman, too bad they would never get a chance to be together.

“Claire is…” his voice broke. He didn’t, _couldn’t_ speak about her in past tense. He swallowed before continuing. “…she was a great friend of mine. She understood me. We didn’t know each other for long but we just… clicked. She supported me through my dark days, always there to help, even if only by being here with me in complete silence. And now…”

“I’m so sorry. I wish I could do something to help you.”

“You can actually. You can find the bastard that took her _away_ from me and bring him to justice. It drives me mad that he is somewhere in there while she is…” he had to stop talking before he broke down in front of the other man.

“I can promise you that I’ll do everything I can to find him. He’ll pay, I won’t rest until he does. You have my word.”

“Thank you, officer. Here’s my number in case you needed anything.”

They both stood up and shook hands, detective bid him goodbye and left the room.

Ethan reached into his pocket to fish out his phone. He opened the gallery. The first photo he saw was actually the last photo he had taken. It was _her. _Smiling at him, a cup of coffee in her hand, her hair down, tousled to one side, her eyes shining. He groaned. The next thing his mind registered, is fist made contact with the wall. His body slumped against the wall and tears fell again. He hated the feeling. Feeling helpless, feeling… empty. He sat down by the wall, trying to piece himself back together, but how can you put back together pieces that were smashed into powder?

Few days later Harper called him to her office again. He had no idea what it was that she could possibly want from him.

“Ethan, please, take a seat.” He reluctantly sat down, not looking at her.

“What is it? I have patients to get to.”

“I thought that we could discuss hiring a new intern, after all we have one space left.” She said, no emotion in her voice, as though she was talking about what she ate for lunch, her eyes on the screen of her computer.

“I’m sorry?” he asked, taken aback. Was she really that tactless and emotionless?

“We cannot keep on hanging this situation over our heads, we have patients to take care of, hospital to run, tests to do… Ethan? Are you even listening to me?” she snapped her fingers right in front of his face. He looked over at her, disbelief written all over his face.

“How can you be so cruel?”

“Excuse me?” she said, clearly taken aback by his words.

“Not even a month had passed and you already want to replace her?”

“Ethan… you’re being too emotional. Think about what you’re saying…” her words blurring to the background. He saw red. Harper was talking away, not looking at him and failing to see his face twist with anger, unknowingly pushing him towards the edge.

Ethan slammed his hand on her desk, hard. A loud noise rang through the room. She stopped talking and looked at him in shock.

“E-Ethan… are you sure you are alright? You need…”

“Don’t tell me what you think I need or don’t need to think, do or say. You don’t care about her or people close to her. I get that. But don’t make others suffer just because it doesn’t concern you.” he snapped at her, stood up and left the room, slamming the door behind him.

Later that day, when most of the doctors were already gone, he went to visit Naveen. His mentor looked at him, frowning.

“Ethan… sit down please.” He did as he was told, hanging his head low. “Talk to me. You are disappearing right in front of my eyes.”

He didn’t even know where to start. He took a deep breath and began venting.

“I… feel lost. I never knew one person could affect me so strongly. It’s like her hands are buried deep within my soul and my heart and my mind and I can’t escape… _I don’t want to escape_. She was the only person I could openly talk to about your situation, the only person who could listen and make me feel better. She made my days… brighter, my light in this dark world. She gave me a will to live. Now that she’s… gone… I don’t know what to do. It feels like a part of me has been ripped out and smashed with a hammer, never to be returned…”

“Oh Ethan… you really love her don’t you?” he asked, his eyes on him. Ethan’s head shot up, his eyes wide.

“I’m no…”

“Ethan.” Naveen interrupted him before he could say another word. He looked at the younger man, offering him a kind smile. It hit him like a bag of bricks.

He loved her.


	4. Salvation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Memories haunt him everywhere he goes, and just as he thinks he's about to lose it all, a salvation comes from an unexpected place.

Admitting his feelings to himself made his life a little easier. He was able to talk to Naveen more openly, his attitude slowly coming back to the previous state, he still avoided his coworkers as often as he could but he wasn’t as grumpy as he was before his talk with the old doctor.

During the day he was surviving. He couldn’t call it living anymore. Every time he looked around he was painfully reminded of her absence. He pushed those thoughts as far back in his mind as he could while he was in the hospital. But once he was back home, it all came back with double force. He looked at the couch and he could almost see her, sitting there, working on Naveen’s case, a cup of coffee in her hand, hair tied at the top of her head, her neck exposed, sweater loose on her shoulders.

The hardest part started the second he closed his eyes. He saw her in his dreams. For the past month he was dreaming of her. At first there were those awful ones, where he couldn’t reach her. Around week four they changed. He could see her, she would come closer to stand next to him, raise her hand to his cheek and lean in to kiss him. His arms around her, hugging her like his life depended on it.

She felt so real. Every morning, when he woke up and had to go, was a torture but he knew when he went to sleep at night she would be waiting there, ready to soothe his pain, even if only for a short moment.

Harper refused to talk to him about the incident in her office. It seemed like she finally saw what was happening to him. She saw his emotions, his pain, his _love_ for the brilliant young doctor and decided to give them all a little more time. She knew it was unusual and strange, but she envied them both. She envied Ethan for finding someone to take down his walls and she envied Clarissa for capturing his heart, something she wasn’t able to do. She felt sorry for him. She saw his walls fall down and she saw them being put up, twice as high and twice as strong in a second. She didn’t know what made his walls disappear at first, now that she knew… she wished she could do something more. For both of them.

Ethan put all of his energy into helping his patients. He spend his shifts taking on case after case and after he was done, he would go to Naveen and run tests, talk to him, consult him.

His mentor saw the pain in his eyes. He saw the barrier he put between himself and the outside world. He was so proud of him for letting someone in, he always wanted for him to find someone who could challenge him and who could complete him, heal his broken soul. He did find her, after all this time. He just did it a little too late.

The days were long, getting longer with each day that passed. He started taking long walks in the park, along the beach. All of the places they visited together after a long shift in the hospital. A memory flooded his mind.

They were walking, their hands close but not quite touching. He looked at her. She was wearing a green dress, the color complementing her hair perfectly. A sweater was thrown over her shoulders, her hair braided with a few strands dangling around her face.

“I never thought my musical background would come in handy while being a doctor.” She laughed, looking ahead.

“Oh, I was meaning to ask you about it. What exactly happened that made you burst out into a song?” he smiled warmly at her. Her eyes met his, a sparkle in them.

“Rose refused to take his medicine unless he heard a song from The Little Mermaid. That’s how it started. I couldn’t exactly just play it to her, I didn’t have my phone on me or any other device for that matter. So I improvised.”

“It clearly worked. She was amazed. And so were other kids. I wouldn’t be surprised if you had to do this more often from now on.”

“I wouldn’t mind. It’s been a while I could use my voice in other way than just talking.”

They kept on walking, a comfortable silence falling between them. Sometime in between their conversation their hands brushed against one another. His fingers reached out towards hers, linking them together. She squeezed his hand softly, a smile growing on her face. She was the most beautiful woman he has ever seen. A feeling of warmth spread in his chest. He knew he wanted her in his life.

His thoughts were interrupted by his pager, a beeping noise making him come back to reality. He sighted and went out the door of his office to check on his patients.

Detective Cordato has contacted him a few times since their last encounter, asking various questions, but also keeping him posted on the family of Lucy Brown. This little girl, this poor little thing that probably has never done anything wrong. It was so unfair that she had to pay for the mistakes of a delusional man who couldn’t take no for an answer.

It was unfair that both her and Claire had to pay.

He thought about the circumstances that led to him losing _her._ At first he was angry. Angry that she didn’t save herself. But that feeling quickly passed, replaced by deep sorrow. Because he knew he would have done the same thing.

They were both so devoted to their work, to the people they swore to help. He knew that she just couldn’t have done anything else. If she left that girl in there and something had happened to her, she would not have been able to live with herself. The guilt would have destroyed her. He knew that for a fact.

That night he went to the rose garden. She took him there two months ago. It was their day off, first one since she found out about Naveen. He was planning on spending the day on research and sleep when he got a text from her, asking what he was up to. She convinced him pretty quickly to leave his plans behind, drop everything and follow her. Looking back at himself from that time, he cannot believe that he didn’t figure out sooner that what he was feeling for her was love. They sat down under one of the trees, eating cookies she made and brought with her. They were perfect, very much like her. Conversation flew between them freely, both of them relaxed. At one point she leaned back against him, her back flush to his bended leg, resulting in them sitting close together.

He told her about her his internship, how Naveen took him under his wing, helped him become the best doctor he could be. She told him about her family, her home town and her experience with musical theatre. He was amazed by the extent of her interest, amazed by how many things she could do.

They ended the day with a coffee. Sat down in his favorite café, he ordered them their usual drinks and got her a piece of chocolate cake.

“I promise you, it’s the best chocolate cake you’re ever going to eat.” Ethan passed her the plate, the corners of his mouth rising softly.

“If you say so…” she dug her fork into the cake and took a bite. The rich flavor took over her senses, perfectly moist, the filling creamy and smooth. She closed her eyes, her face melting with delight, moaning in pleasure.

“You weren’t kidding. That’s the best thing I’ve ever eaten.” She smiled at him, taking in his amused expression. She noticed he kept on straying his gaze from her towards the cake throughout their conversation.

“Here. Have some.” She took a chunk of cake on her fork and extended it towards him, attempting to feed him.

“No, that’s your cake.” He shook his head even though his mind was screaming, her gesture melting his from the inside.

“Don’t be ridiculous. I know you have a sweet tooth. And besides, you keep on looking at it like it’s the most precious thing in the room.”

“Not _the_ most precious thing in this room.” He looked at her, their gazes locking, eyes never straying from one another’s.

“Stop denying. You want it. Take it.” She extended her hand towards him again. This time he did eat the cake she gave him, smiling as he tasted the sweet flavor.

“Thank you.” he put his hand on hers, squeezing it gently.

“Remember to treat yourself sometimes, yeah?” she squeezed back, looking into his eyes.

Memories of her were all that he had left. It was his very own and very private medicine. Helped him cope throughout the day.

The next day, just as his shift was coming to the end, he got paged by Harper, an emergency meeting in the waiting room by the entrance.

He got there, sat down in a chair, leaning forward, his elbows resting on his knees, providing some support for his tired body.

He saw detective Cordato enter the room along with a few other officers and Harper. He stood in the middle of the room and spoke up.

“We let out the information to the news at noon but I imagine you didn’t have a chance to find out just yet. I came by to tell you personally. We caught the bastard. Louis Dean has been found and is now being charged with attempted kidnapping, arson and murder of two. You can rest assured he won’t get away with everything he did.” Detective said, his voice grim but confident.

Ethan took a deep breath, hiding his face in his hands. He felt some relief, but not as much as he thought he would. He thought he would find peace one they found him. But he didn’t. He wasn’t sure he ever would.

He was so deep in his thoughts that he missed the front door opening and shocked gasps from his colleagues. It was as if he was detached from his surroundings. Only when other doctors started running did he see that something was wrong.

“Get two rooms ready, we need to examine them both.”

“They both have been through so much.”

“They were so brave.”

“How did she manage to keep them both hidden for so long?”

“Herondale, you are one hell of a strong woman.”

At the last statement his head shot up, looking around frantically, searching.

There.

He felt as though a bag of stones was lifted from his chest, he was able to breathe again.

There she was. Standing there, looking at him.

Clarissa Herondale was alive.


	5. Out in the open

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> She's here, and he's never leaving her side again.

He was stunned. She was here. Really here. He kept on pinching himself, unable to believe that it’s the reality and not another one of his dreams.

He couldn’t move. His muscles refused to obey his will. He tried to stand up but he felt as though he would fall as soon as he did stand up. He saw other medics tend to her, check her vitals, giving her food and water, cleaning her as much as they could without a shower and give her clothes to change.

Finally, she stood there. She looked lost, her eyes searching for something familiar.

Their gazes met. And he finally could move.

He ran. He ran to her, unable to stop himself, not caring about what others might think or say. She didn’t have time to start running, but she would if the distance was bigger.

They fell into each other’s arms with a force so big they had to support themselves on the wall to avoid contact with the floor.

His arms went securely around her, one of them circling her waist and the other holding her head to him. Her arms went around him, hanging on tightly. Neither of them wanted to let go.

He dreamed of having her in his arms a lot during the last month. He couldn’t believe that it was really happening. For once in his life, he wanted something and it was granted to him.

They were oblivious to the sympathetic looks they were getting from everyone around them. Harper had a huge smile on her face, not believing it either, but being extremally happy that Claire was alive, knowing that she was the only one who could open Ethan back up.

Detective Cordato stood next to them. They turned their heads towards him, not letting go of each other.

“I’m terribly sorry to interrupt, but we… we have _a lot_ of questions, Miss Herondale. Would you mind answering them now or would you prefer to do it later, once you had a chance to sleep?” he asked, a smile on his face.

“I’d like it to be over, let’s go with it.” She said quietly. Ethan ran his fingers through her hair.

“Maybe let’s take it to my office? It would be quiet and peaceful and definitely more comfortable than the hall.” He proposed and everyone agreed.

Ethan, not letting go of Claire, started walking with the rest of them towards his office, opening the door and letting everyone in. He sat her down on the couch and turned to get her some tea and a blanket, but she grabbed his hand, panic all over her face, shaking her head vigorously. He looked over to Harper, she nodded her head wordlessly and fetched the two items. He covered Claire with a blanket and she snuggled into his side.

“Okay… Miss Herondale, if you don’t mind… can you tell us what happened here a month ago?”

“I was walking towards Lucy’s room. She was my patient. Just as I was entering the room, the alarm went off. I grabbed her in my arms and started running towards the emergency exit, but then she saw that man… she told me who he was, so I had no other choice but to turn around and hide. We went into the supply closet and…”

“If you don’t mind my interruption. Have you seen anyone else near or in the said closet?”

“No? Why? Anyway, we closed the door behind us, but I think he saw us running there, because the next thing I knew, he was trying to take the door down. He didn’t succeed so he decided to light the door on fire and leave. We managed to leave right before the door would be not able to open, I found emergency stairs and we went down and ran.”

“Why didn’t you go to all the other doctors and patients? What were you doing all this time you were missing?” detective Cordato asked.

“I knew that the man was not of good mental health. I knew he could hurt Lucy. I thought if I ran with her and hid somewhere until they found him….”

“That’s why you were gone? You were hiding? How did you provide for both of you for so long?”

“Yes. I was keeping tabs on the news, but I knew we couldn’t get back here unless he was found and locked. I couldn’t contact anyone because he could have been controlling my phone or other devices. My priority was to keep Lucy safe, wait until it was okay for us to come back and then get her here to check her condition. Nothing was apparent but I didn’t have equipment to be sure.”

“You were really brave, doctor. We already called her parents, they are on their way. Would you like to talk to them?”

“Please, I would like to be updated on her condition. And if her parents wish to speak to me, no problem.” She smiled softly, looking at her hands.

“Okay, I think that’s it for now. If we’ll need something more, we’ll contact you. You should rest, Miss Herondale. You deserve it.” He smiled down at her and extended his hand for her to shake. She did so with a smile.

“Thank you, officer. Goodnight.” Detectives left the room, leaving her, Ethan and Harper alone.

The chief approached them and kneeled down in front of her.

“I’d just like to say that I am proud of your work, dr. Herondale. I am honored to have you on our team, such a devoted doctor. Please, rest, take a few days off, let yourself get back on track.” She sent a small smile towards the young doctor, her eyes moving to Ethan. 

“Take care of her, okay?” Harper mouthed to him, he nodded. She stood up and left the room.

They were finally alone. She was still wrapped securely in his arms, his cheek pressed against her head.

“Do you want me to take you to your apartment? You should really sleep.” He murmured, his words hard to understand because his lips were buried in her hair.

“No. If I go there now, I’ll have to explain everything and I don’t feel like I am up for it right now.”

“Okay… my place then?”

“If that’s not a problem… yeah, that would be perfect.” Her voice was small and quiet, as though she was afraid he would reject her.

“Of course it’s not a problem. Come on, let’s go.” He stood up, keeping her in his arms.

They went to his car, he helped her get in and covered her with a blanket, getting in the car and starting it. His hand found hers, their fingers intertwining.

“How do you feel?” he asked, his grip on her hand tightening.

“I honestly don’t know anymore. I feel relieved that I can finally be back, I was so tired of running. Lucy is the sweetest girl I’ve ever met but she is a child, she has her needs that I knew I couldn’t satisfy, we didn’t have money or a place to stay or food… I felt so helpless, we found some good people, they gave us some food but we couldn’t stay there for long…”

“… You have no idea how happy and relieved I am that you are okay. That you are _alive_.” His voice was breaking, tears were forming in his eyes.

“Me too. For a second I thought I that it was the end. But then I thought of you and how you would be disappointed with me, not being able to save a patient…”

“No. No, no, no. You don’t understand…” he cut off; they have arrived at his apartment. They went upstairs, he helped her get comfortable, but before he could ask her if she’d like some tea, he saw her eyelids dropping.

“You’re tired. Come on.” He took her hand and led her to his bedroom, sat her down.

“You can sleep here tonight. I’ll take the guest room.” He turned to leave but felt a hand on his wrist. She was looking up at him, her eyes wide, looking nervous.

“Ethan…” his heart stopped at the sound of his name coming from her lips. It felt right. “… do you think you could sleep here tonight? With me? I just… don’t think I can survive the night alone.” Her voice was small, a little embarrassed, she hated showing her weakness.

“Of course, no problem” he smiled softly, going to his dresser to fetch her his shirt for her to sleep in. before he could leave the room, she already started changing. She took her clothes off and he really tried not to look, but he couldn’t look away, he was mesmerized with her beauty. He noticed she lost some weight, the consequence of not eating enough. She threw on his shirt, the garment too big on her, falling off on of her shoulder. He undressed to, both of them getting in bed.

They turned towards each other, faces closely together, breathing the same air.

“I missed you.” he whispered softly. His hand touched her cheek, fingers brushing her hair away.

“I missed you too. You have no idea how badly I wanted to reach out to you, but I just couldn’t risk it.”

“I thought you were…. You were _dead_. I never thought I could be so vulnerable, yet here I was, unable to get through my day without breaking down. I longed for one more chance to see you, talk to you, to tell you…” he stopped talking, his eyes on hers.

“Ethan… I had no idea you thought I was dead. I assumed you thought I was missing. I’m so sorry you had to go through that alone.” Her eyes filled with tears.

“It made me realize how fragile our lives are. With you gone, I didn’t know what to do with myself. I became even more rude than usual. I snapped at Harper, Naveen didn’t know what to do. But it was him that helped me realize something priceless and important.”

“And what is it?”

“Claire… I love you.” he whispered, his eyes full of emotions, sincere and true. “I know that’s not the correct order of things, and I know that you probably don’t reciprocate those feelings, but I just had to get them out. I felt horrible that I didn’t get the chance to tell you. You bring out the best in me, you marched into my life and took down my walls, that took years for me to build. You made me want to open up, talk about my feelings. You changed me, and like it or not, I cannot lie to myself anymore. I love you. That’s just a fact.” She looked at him with disbelief on her face. His thoughts were running wild, his mind thinking he crossed the line, he ruined everything they had. He didn’t know what he would do if she didn’t…

She kissed him. Her soft lips touched his, hesitantly at first. Then the initial shock passed and he felt as if he woke up. His arms went around her, bringing her closer, hugging her to his chest. Her fingers tangled in his hair, soft locks passing through them.

They lost the track of time, both comforted by the presence of the other. When the air was necessary, they broke the kiss, their foreheads touching, still holding each other close as if letting them get away for even a millimeter would make them disappear.

She laid on her back, his head on her chest, listening to her strong heartbeat, her fingers tracing mindless patterns on the skin of his naked back. Silence took over them both, only their breaths being heard in the room.

“I love you too, Ethan. I’ve loved you for a while now.” She whispered to him. He lifted his head to look into her eyes, his whole body visibly relaxing at her words.

“I’m sorry it took me so long to realize that I love you too. I almost lost you, I’m never going to make that mistake again. I love you.” he kissed her again, softly, pouring all of his emotions into the kiss.

They embraced each other and fell asleep, as relaxed as ever, their bodies close together, everything around them peaceful and quiet.

It was the best sleep they ever had.


	6. Aftermath

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Conversations, reunions and quiet tranquility in each other's arms.

Ethan woke up with a feeling of absolute bliss, his muscles relaxed, his mind at ease. Memories of last night flooded his mind.

She really was here. Alive and with him. He got a second chance from fate, he was not going to waste it.

He reached towards the other side of his bed, searching for her body but his hand found nothing. His eyes snapped open and looked to his left.

The bed was empty and made. As if no one had slept there.

His breathing picked up, his heart started racing. He could feel the tears coming, a start of a panic attack approaching. He hugged his knees, his whole body rocking back and forth.

“I’m alone. _Alone. Again._” He began whispering, drifting deeper and deeper into his despair. He couldn’t believe how easily he fell for the trick his mind did on him.

He was panicking now, his vision was blurry, all he could hear was a loud noise, blocking out the rest of the world.

Suddenly he felt a small frame wrap around him, delicate hands cradling his face, someone’s forehead touching his. He took a deep breath and recognized the scent. He would recognize it anywhere. His mind began to calm down.

“…an? Ethan? Come on, baby, talk to me. What’s wrong? What’s happening?” she sounded worried, her grip on him tightening. His arms slipped around her, his head fell down against her shoulder, his face buried in her hair, breathing her in, her scent surrounding him like a comfort blanket. His tears soaked the shirt she was wearing, _his shirt,_ to be exact, he thought, pleased.

“I… you… you…” he couldn’t seem to find words to tell her what was wrong, but he didn’t have to. She understood. Instead of asking and waiting for him to speak, she leaned in and kissed him, pouring all of her feelings into it, taking all of his pain and uncertainty with it.

They separated after a moment of closeness, their eyes meeting.

“Don’t ever leave me. I don’t think I’ll be able to survive it again.” He whispered, pain in his voice evident. She leaned down again, pecking his lips once, twice, three times before taking a look at him.

“You know I would never choose to leave you. I love you too much to do such a thing.” She smiled softly at him.

They went to the kitchen for some breakfast and then sat down on the couch to talk some more, clear the air.

“Ethan… detective Cordato asked me yesterday if I had seen anyone near the closet. Why?”

“It’s the reason we thought you were…_ dead._” The last word came out choked, the mere thought of it making him shiver. “They opened the closet, burned down by then, and found two bodies. A woman and a little girl.”

“Oh honey… it could have been anyone…”

“Claire, I went there.” her eyes widened at his confession. “I had to see it for myself, I didn’t believe them. I ran there, unable to stop myself. I wouldn’t have believed my own eyes if it wasn’t for the little fact that killed me. The woman had _red hair,_ Claire. My heart stopped. I couldn’t breathe. I was so angry at myself for not manning up earlier to tell you how I feel about you. I knew it was too late. I knew that no matter what, I would never see you again. I would never see you smile, hear you sing with these kids at the hospital…”

“Ethan, you shouldn’t have gone there. I wouldn’t want you to find me there and for that to be the last thing you remember about me.” She whispered, bringing his hands into hers and kissing them softly and slowly.

“I didn’t believe them. It was like they were speaking a different language. I heard what they were saying but I couldn’t understand it. You were _right there, _I saw you only a couple of hours before, you surely couldn’t have been… _gone.”_ His voice broke completely, sobs shaking him again. She tugged on his arm, laying back on the couch and taking him with her, hugging him tightly to her, his head on her chest.

“I… actually have something to say that I think you should know…” she admitted after a moment of silence, her voice uncertain.

“What is it, Love?” he asked, not looking up from his position, feeling too comfortable, safe and peaceful.

“During the time we were gone… I saw you, Ethan.”

That made him sit up, his eyes haunted with pain and exhaustion.

“What? When?”

“About a week after the fire. I was trying to find somewhere we could eat and be undetected and… you were there. Walking by. You actually went past me, few meters away from me. I knew I couldn’t let you know I was there… it was too dangerous for Lucy. You looked so broken. I knew you were worried but like I said earlier. I thought you were thinking I was missing, not dead. Had I known that…” trailing off she shifted her gaze to look at him again. He embraced her, holding her head to his chest.

“It’s all behind us. Let’s not trouble ourselves with it anymore.” She smiled and placed a kiss on his lips. “Now, you have a few days off. What would you like us to do?”

“Us? Does this mean you _finally_ took a day off?” teasing was evident in her voice.

“_Actually, _it was Harper’s idea. She asked me to take care of you and I don’t see it any other way. I’ll stay with you for as long as you want.”

“Okay, that sounds amazing. So… I definitely have to get to my apartment and let my friends know that I am alive. And also, maybe tell them about…_this._” She pointed between them. “You know, so they are not surprised when they see you chasing me in the halls and kissing me because you cannot handle all the tension.”

“_I _would be chasing _you?_ Try that again, _Rookie._” He said the last word softly, pushing a lock of her hair behind her ear.

“I will never surrender!” she shouted before bolting down the hall towards his bedroom. He shook his head and went after her.

The ride to her apartment was the most peaceful one for him in a while. He was sure where he was going with his life. He had the most beautiful woman by his side and she was _his and his only_. There were a few things that made him anxious but they would face them head on as they came up.

He parked his car outside the tall building and went around to open the door for her and help her out. His hand landed on the small of her back, keeping her close to him, not sure if he was comforting her or himself.

They slowly made their way up to the door, knocking on it lightly. Sound of someone approaching could be heard from the inside.

The door flew open and a very tired Sienna stood before them. Her eyes registered Ethan first, her face sobering quickly. He offered her a friendly smile and pointed with his eyes towards Claire, standing nest to him, holding on to his coat tightly.

“Claire!” the young doctor shouted and threw her arms around her friend, pulling her close, tears streaming down both of their faces.

Three of them entered the apartment, Ethan closed the door behind them, letting her friends greet her. After the initial shock wore off and they were a little more calm, they all sat down on the couch to talk a bit about what happened. Nothing Ethan hasn’t heard before but that didn’t mean he didn’t have a problem with reliving it again.

Claire noticed the way his face fell, the shadows of the last month crossing his features. She moved from her place between Sienna and Elijah to sit next to him, taking his hands in hers and giving them a squeeze, smiling at him softly. Their eyes locked for a moment before looking at the rest of the people in the room. They were surprised to see the two of them so close, seeking comfort from one another.

“Claire… is there…” Elijah started and she immediately took over.

“Um… yes. Ethan and I… we’re dating.” She stuttered a little, unsure how her friends will react to the news.

It was silent. And then it was chaos.

Everyone except Sienna groaned while she laughed and smiled triumphantly. And started reaching for their wallets to give their money to her, for some unknown to Ethan reason. But Claire knew what was going on.

“Seriously guys? You made a bet?” she laughed so hard tears fell from her eyes. He reached over to wipe them for her.

“I said you two will definitely start dating. They all thought I was mental.” Sienna smiled widely at them before turning to her friends. “Seriously guys, are you blind? All you have to do is look at dr. Ramsey’s face when he looks at Claire. He’s completely lost in her. Sorry, sir.” She blushed a little after she made her comment about him. He waved his hand dismissively, a smile finding its way to his lips.

“It’s good to have you back, Claire. It was so empty and quiet and sad without you.” Jackie said, patting her hand in the process.

“Okay guys, I have a few days off, but you all have work to do. So, I’m not going to keep you here any longer, I’ll still be here when you’re finished.” She said goodbye to her friends and they were left alone in the room.

He gathered her in his arms again. She noticed he’s been doing it a lot since they first embraced after she came back, almost as if he was afraid she would disappear the second he stops touching her, feeling her next to him.

“What do you want to do now?” he asked her, placing his lips on her temple, leaving a sweet kiss there.

“I am actually pretty tired and I would kill to spend some time with you and your very pleasant voice…”

“What do you mean?” he laughed, amused.

“I was hoping to get you in my bed and lay down with you, hugging and listening to your heartbeat, while you read me something?” she said, a little embarrassed, her cheeks flushing.

He swore his heart has melted. That was the sweetest thing he’s ever heard, not that he’ll ever admit that.

“Okay, let’s go.” He picked her up in his arms, carrying her towards her room, laughter cutting the silence.

He put her down once they reached their destination and took a look around. The room was not too small, everything was simple and organized. Claire left his side to stand in front of her bookshelf. After a moment of thinking in silence she reached towards the top shelf, her fingers almost touching the book she wanted but not quite. She sighed and face him.

“Um… give me a hand here?” she smiled sweetly at him.

He walked towards her and stood behind her. She was almost definitely expecting him to just reach for the book but he had other plans.

He placed his hands on her hips and lifted her up in the air, his hold on her strong and secure.

“Ethan!” she shrieked and laughed but reached for the book and took it in her hands. He set her down and looked at her choice.

“”Pride and prejudice”? Really?” he teased her but was impressed with the choice of a classic.

“What can I say? I’m a sucker for some love. And besides, it _is_ a classic, and there is no way I would pass on you reading Mr. Darcy’s words with that deep voice of yours.” She kissed his cheek and winked at him before taking his hand in hers and tugging on it, getting them on her bed.

He laid down in the middle of the mattress and she settled down next to him, her head on his chest, ear right above his heart, one arm thrown over his stomach and their legs tangled.

He opened the book at the random page and begun reading, one hand in her hair, stroking it gently.

_“In vain I have struggled. It will not do. My feelings will not be repressed. You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you.”_

He read those lines more clearly than the rest, his head turned toward her, his mouth by her ear.

She had to admit, his voice was making her melt. It was soft, smooth rich and deep, definitely the most pleasant voice she’s ever heard. She tightened her arms around him, kissing his chest softly before leaning up to kiss him, then settling down again so he could read her more.

They both fell asleep soon after, none of them knowing when exactly.

Her roommates came back a couple of hours later and Sienna went to Claire’s room to see if she was still there. The sight of her best friend, wrapped around the man she loved, both sleeping, relaxed and untroubled, made her smile. She took her phone out to snap a quick picture before shutting the door quietly behind her, letting them sleep a little longer.

Claire woke up an hour later, looking around and trying to remember where she was. Then she heard his soft breathing beside her. Ethan looked so good when he was asleep, his face was not bothered with anything, skin was smooth and he had a small smile on his lips.

She got out of bed quietly, letting him sleep, knowing how little sleep he got when she was gone.

She was about to get out of her room and join her friends, closing the door not to disturb him when she remembered the situation form this morning. She decided to leave the door opened so he could hear her and not panic. She was sure he wanted to avoid having a strong reaction with other interns around.

Her friends were all sitting by the table, drinking tea and coffee, eating what looked like homemade fried chicken, talking quietly. Jackie was the one who spotted her first, smiling at her softly.

“Hey! Did you sleep well?”

“Yeah…” a soft smile grazed her features.

“How could she not? It’s not like she’s sleeping alone.” Elijah teased, making her blush. She made herself some green tea, sat down on the last free chair and started eating, only now realizing how starving she was.

They talked about life at home and at the hospital while she was gone, letting her know how everyone was holding up.

“Dr. Ramsey was extremally annoyed and rude all the time, always tired and not taking any mistakes mildly. We didn’t know he cared about his interns that much but I guess now we know why.” Sienna mused, bumping her arm against Claire’s, laughing.

They were all glad that she was back, their lives could finally go back to normal.

Thirty minutes passed before they heard soft footsteps coming from her room. Claire turned around to see Ethan coming towards them, his hair ruffled, his voice laced with sleep.

“Good evening.” He said softly before standing next to Claire, placing his hand on her arm and giving her a squeeze.

“Good evening, dr. Ramsey. Would you like some tea and something to eat?” Sienna smiled brightly.

“Oh, that won’t be necessary…” he started saying but Claire put her own hand on top of his and interrupted him.

“You have to eat, Ethan. Besides, Sienna made some of the best cookies I’ve ever eaten and you cannot eat cookies unless you eat dinner first.” She stood up and told him to sit down in her spot while turning towards her room to fetch herself a spare chair.

She didn’t go far, though. To the surprise of Claire, her friends and his own, his hand reached out for her, pulling her to sit on his lap, locking his arms around her.

“I don’t see why we cannot share.” His voice didn’t betray how nervous he was, and he did start eating, feeling all the tension leaving his body with every minute that passed. “This is really good. Did you make it yourself?” he pointed towards the chicken.

“Yes, actually. Elijah here is a brilliant cook, even though he’s too humble to take credit for it.” Claire pressed her finger into his arm, making him jump, laughing.

They spent the rest of the evening laughing, talking about random things and eating Sienna’s cookies. Ethan had to admit that Claire was right.

Those were some of the best cookies he’s ever had.


	7. From the other side

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The story is the same. All that is different, is the person who's telling it.

Claire was walking down the corridor, a file in her hand, greeting kids and their families as they went by. Her day was quite good so far, all her patients were stable, no emergencies or accidents to distract her and she was supposed to meet up with Ethan in a few minutes to talk about Naveen. Or, at least, that’s what he thought they would be talking about.

She wanted to tell him. Tell him that he never seemed to leave her head. That every time she closed her eyes he was there, smiling at her. That he was in her dreams. That he was important to her.

She didn’t care if it would destroy everything they had, their friendship, their work relationship.

She wanted him to know all of this.

Upon entering the room of her little patient she was greeted with a wide smile and a squeal from her.

“Dr. Claire!” Lucy exclaimed and got off her bed, running carefully towards her doctor. She caught her in her arms, hugging her gently to not hurt her.

“Hello, you big girl. How are we feeling today?” she smiled at Lucy, touching her nose with her fingertip playfully.

“Awesome! I feel like I could fly!” she released herself from Claire’s arms and stretched her hands, pretending to be flying.

Before she could begin examining her, an alarm went off. Lucy jumped, startled at the sound, running back to Claire. She picked her up, going through the door towards the emergency exit. Suddenly, Lucy tugged on her arm.

“Dr. Claire, look. That’s a bad man!” she pointed towards a stranger at the end of the hall, coming towards them.

“Do you know him?”

“Yes. He sometimes comes to our house, Mom shouts at him, she said he is dangerous.” She looked straight at Claire, not a shade of doubt in her voice.

She believed her, turning around and looking for a place to hide, just until the man leaved and they could get to safety. She spotted a closet, walking in and locking the door behind them, checking twice. She set Lucy down and told her to sit down by the furthest wall from the door, standing next to her, ready to defend her if needed.

It was quiet. And then it was not.

The doorknob was pressed, someone was trying to get in. When the door wouldn’t budge the person begun shaking the door, trying to pry them open but to no avail.

“Lucy! Come out and play! It’s me, your dad! Come on, I’ll take you home and we’ll play. I won’t go without you! You have to come with me, I will find you anywhere!” voice shouted right outside the door, as though he knew that they were there.

And then – silence, again.

Claire breathed out. Most likely the person gave up and left them be. She turned around to smile at Lucy when she felt the smell of smoke in the air. Turning towards the door she noticed black clouds entering the room from beneath the door, the faint sound of wood burning reached her ears.

Her eyes widened as she realized what was happening. She heard footsteps departing from the door, a small laughter in the background.

Claire grabbed Lucy by hand and headed towards the door, kneeling down to look her straight in the eyes.

“Listen, sweetie. We will have to run. Not look around, try not to breathe until we don’t get away from the fire and hang on tight, okay? We’re going to get out of here.” Lucy nodded and latched on to her arms, hugging herself close to her doctor.

Claire stood up and opened the door, running out as fast as she could, praying to not get Lucy hurt by flames.

Thankfully they made it out, bolting down the hall towards the back entrance, not often used. She discovered it a few weeks ago, she knew most of the staff didn’t know it even existed. While walking she asked Lucy to tell her more about the man in question.

“I don’t know him. Mom and Dad don’t like to talk about him, they say he is dangerous and that if he ever tries to talk to me to tell them.”

“Okay… here we are.” They reached the door, opening them and checking if no one saw them. Once outside, she started running again. The words of a man ringed in the back of her mind. He would never stop looking for her. They had to hide. And they had to hide fast.

“Lucy… do you trust me?” she looked at the little girl in her arms, her eyes full of fear and confusion. Lucy nodded her head slightly. “Okay. I know it’s scary but we’re going to need to hide for a little while. We’ll find some place to sleep and some food and we’ll see what happens.” Lucy nodded again. Claire was amazed at how much the little girl understood, how mature she was at the age of twelve, despite being small and petite, she was strong.

So they hid. Found some shelter and food and stayed there for a few days. Claire knew they had to move soon. If they stayed in one place for too long the odds of him finding them were rising and she would never let anyone hurt her.

They were both hungry. She didn’t get the chance to grab her wallet, so they had no money to buy food. Thankfully, there are some good people left in this world, people who gave them food, blankets and clothes for Lucy. Meanwhile, she was keeping tabs on what the media had to say about the situation in the hospital. The man _killed_ two people and was on the run. She decided then and there, that as long as he was out there, they would hide.

Then came day seven. She was walking by the back of the buildings, trying not to attract any attention to herself when she spotted _him_.

_Ethan Ramsey._ Her heart missed a beat. She was tired, sure, but her mind has never stopped thinking about him, her heart recognized him/

He looked like hell. His hair disheveled, dark bags under his eyes, head hanging low. He was _wrecked_. She wanted desperately to reach out to him, ask for help, hug him. She resisted her urges. If she did that, she would expose the fact that they were hiding, she would not be able to protect and hide Lucy. So, Claire did the only thing she could do, no matter how much it hurt.

She watched him disappear behind the corner, feeling her heart shatter and her stomach drop.

Only later, when his broken face was haunting her dreams and every waking thought did she realize why he looked the way he did. She didn’t let anyone know where she was. No one knew what happened to her.

To them, she was _missing._

The thought slammed into her like a speeding truck, throwing her off balance.

_That_ was why Ethan looked like death. He must be so worried about her, not knowing where she is, is she okay.

She prayed that night. She prayed for the man to be caught.

Unfortunately, her wish was to be granted a month later. Claire and Lucy were barely holding up at this point, usually there wasn’t enough food for both of them to satisfy their hunger, so Claire gave most of it away to Lucy. Sleeping was a luxury for the young doctor, staying awake for most of the nights, making sure that no one would pose a threat to them.

And then, the miracle happened. Claire was passing the restaurant that had a TV on.

_They found him_.

She couldn’t believe her luck. Running back to Lucy she shook her arm gently, waking her up and started walking towards the hospital. During the last month she was keeping an eye on her health, making sure she was not sick, but it was difficult without any equipment.

It was late when she reached the front door of the hospital, the sun was long gone from the sky. Adjusting her grip on Lucy’s hand she pushed the door open, bright lights of the waiting room blinding them both.

She heard gasps from the people in the room. They were both rushed inside, someone took Lucy from her, carrying her towards the bed. She heard what people were saying, about how brave and strong they were, surviving that long. In the middle of the commotion she heard a quiet gasp. Her head whipped towards the source of the sound.

_Ethan._

“Now you know everything.” She shrugged, her body slumped forward, sitting in Ethan’s office again, officers and detective Cordato before her. “I don’t know if it was the wisest decision on my part to hide for so long, but in that moment I didn’t see other option. There was no way I was going to let that man take her, hurt her. I am responsible for the wellbeing of my patients, I couldn’t let her get hurt.”

“Dr. Herondale, we want you to know that you couldn’t have done better. No one blames you if that’s what you’re worried about.” She nodded and smiled a little.

“How is she? Her parents?” she aimed her question at the detective.

“They are okay, shaken up by the whole situation but impossibly grateful for everything you’ve done, Miss. As a matter of fact, Lucy asked me to give you this.” He reached into his briefcase and pulled out a book, handing it to her. She glided her fingers over the cover of the book softly, smile on her face, a single tear rolling down her cheek.

“She told me about that book. It’s her favorite, she read it every night. I tried to tell it to her from memory but it was hazy. She said she’d get me a book so I can reread it.” after a moment she started laughing. “Thank you, I really appreciate it. Do you think you can give me some sort of information on how I can contact them? I’d like to reach out and keep in touch.” She was handed a piece of paper with everything she needed. After saying goodbye she found herself alone in the office. And for the first time in the last hour, Ethan made it known that he was present.

She felt his hand on her waist, his need to feel that she’s real back. But then again, was it ever gone?

“You okay?” Claire asked, turning to face him, her hands on his cheeks. He moved both of his hands to her waist now, keeping her closer.

“I had no idea how much you’ve been through. I mean, I knew that you lived through hell, but…” his face twisted with something she couldn’t quite place, a mix between anger, despair, sadness and loneliness. There was one thing peaking through it all though. And that was _love_.

“You’ve been through a lot too, Ethan. Don’t think I forgot.” She stroked his cheek delicately before placing a tender kiss on his lips. He brought her closer, kissing her more desperately and that was the moment that Harper Emery decided to walk in with Zaid and Ines in tow.

They jumped apart, shock and embarrassment on their faces, walls and plants suddenly becoming the most interesting things in the room.

Harper was smiling, Ines had a shocked but happy expression on her face and Zaid… well, he couldn’t say he was surprised, he did see the looks his coworker was giving towards his intern and he saw what her “death” did to him.

To everyone who looked at these two it was obvious that they were meant to be together, through thin and thick.

“Ethan… dr. Herondale…” Harper nodded her head towards the two doctors, amused at their blushed faces. “dr. Herondale, would you mind leaving us for a moment? There are a few things we need to discuss regarding the competition.” She felt a cold shiver running down her back. She nodded her head before leaving the room, not even daring to look in Ethan’s direction.

Her duties were keeping her from overthinking the situation. Keeping her mind from wandering towards the conversation that was taking place a few floors above her head.

At the end of her shift they were all gathered by Chief Emery and their Attendings. She spotted Ethan up front, but he didn’t meet her gaze, not looking up from his shoes. She took it as a bad sign.

“I’m sure you’re all wondering why you are gathered here. Well, let’s not keep you waiting. First of all, I’d like to welcome back dr. Clarissa Herondale. I think we all agree that she managed to do something not everyone would be able to do. Her behavior proved that she is indeed a great doctor, worthy of the highest praise. Which brings me to the other reason why you were all summoned here. We were talking and thinking about it long and hard, thinking about what we should do and we realized that there is only one thing that we could do. We decided to end the competition today. All of you are great doctors but I think we all agree that there is one doctor who is _exceptional_. Her ranking before the emergency happened was high, her courage to protect human life is admirable and exactly what the diagnostical team needs. So join us all in congratulating dr. Herondale for gaining the spot that she clearly deserves.” She finished, looking for her in the crowd of stunned interns.

Claire didn’t know what to think. She wanted the spot on that team. _She dreamed about it._ But she just couldn’t figure out what made those doctors pick _her._

She made her way over to the front, thanking them all for giving her a chance. What she didn’t expect was to be pulled into a tight hug by Harper.

“Take care of him for me.” She whispered into Claire’s ear, squeezing her shoulders. There was a big smile on her face when she leaned back, nodding her head and winking mysteriously before letting her go. Claire moved towards Ines, being pulled into a bone-crushing hug, then a handshake form Zaid and finally she stood before Ethan himself. Their eyes locked and she saw something in there. _Determination_.

“Thank you, dr. Ramsey, I promise to try not to let you do…” her lips were suddenly pressed against his, in front of all the interns and other doctors. For all to see.

His arms held her close, not letting her go, trying to savor the moment for as long as he could before they would be swarmed with questions.

Finally, they separated, his lips leaving one final kiss on her cheek before smiling at her softly.

“Sorry, I couldn’t stop myself.”

“You scared me there for a minute.” She recalled his behavior right before Harper gave her speech.

“Yeah, my bad. I just didn’t want to give anything away.”

“Well, you gave me a heart attack.” She laughed, relieved that it was all over. She knew that the real work was about to begin and that she would have to face some mean people and their gossip, but she was ready for it.

She was ready for anything, as long as she had _him_ by her side. 


	8. Happily ever after

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Time has passed, things have changed, feelings have stayed the same.

He was walking down the hall, Mrs. Martinez on his arm, talking with her. They were strolling for the past twenty minutes, slowly making their way towards her room, the time they spent already enough to make her tired.

“So, Dr. Ramsey, how has the married life been treating you?”

“So far, it’s been perfect.”

“You just came back from your honeymoon, how do you think your work life will be now, that there are not one, but _two_ doctors with the surname Ramsey?”

He laughed, imagining the confusion it will create, and the amount of time it will take for everyone to get used to the idea of them being married. As for him, it wasn’t as difficult as he once thought it would be. Letting Claire in, letting her steal his heart, letting her take over his mind, it was the easiest thing he’s ever done. She brought fresh air into his life, bringing down his walls once and for all, not letting him bottle up anything. He was still learning to express his emotions, but she was there every step of the way, always right by his side, ready to have him lean on her should he ever need it.

It’s been almost two years since the horrific circumstances, that brought them together, and while he wished he could take the memories away from her, he knew that it gave him the courage he needed to let go of his fears and admit his feelings. Claire still had nightmares, waking up in the middle of the night with a scream on her lips, and he was always there, right by her side, his arms ready to take her in, hug her close and offer comfort.

“I’m sure we’ll figure something out. But it feels good to call her mine, god knows how long I’ve wanted to do that.”

“It’s good to see you so happy, Dr. Ramsey. I’m happy you found the person to go through your life with. It’s important, the single most important thing, to have people you can count on in your life. Don’t make yourself go through the tough times alone.”

“I won’t have to. Not anymore. And besides, we both know she won’t let me, even if I wanted to.”

He helped her get into her bed and bid her goodbye, making his way to the nurse’s station, collecting the files of his patients. He couldn’t wait to get home, the idea of his apartment, now with Claire’s things there, making him smile. His mind went into the dangerous territory, thinking of what he’ll do to her the very first second he sees her walking through the door, how he’d push her up against the wall and…

“Dr. Ramsey? Can I have a moment of your time?” a new intern, dr. Cornell, stood behind him.

“Please, just make it quick, I have my patients to get to.” he was not ecstatic that his train of thoughts was interrupted, but then again, it was probably for the best, given the fact that he was in the middle of the hospital.

“I’d like to say that we’re all happy you’re back, and we look forward to working with you. It’s a great honor…”

“Do you have anything urgent to say, or are you going to keep on talking nonsense?” he pinched the bridge of his nose, his eyes squeezing shut as he tried not to snap at the young woman before him.

“Right, sorry. I was thinking you could help me with my patient? He doesn’t want to take his meds and…”

“And you expect me to do your job for you?”

“N-no, I…” she stammered, the last sliver of her confidence gone.

“I suggest you figure it out. It’s your job, your duty to get him to take it…”

And then, suddenly, his train of thoughts was lost. Gone and nowhere to be found. He could feel her near him, his body tuned to her presence. She walked up to him, wrapped her arm around his waist, kissing the side of his face softly, before speaking.

“Hi, what is it? You seem stressed.” The intern looked curiously at Claire, not recognizing her, being at the hospital for only a few days.

“It’s nothing, just…”

“I, uh, I’ll go now. Thank you for your time, Dr. Ramsey.” Dr. Cornell said, taking a step back.

“Nonsense, what is it? You’re…”

“Dr. Cornell. I’m new here.” The young woman smiled brightly but was met only with a slight nod from the older resident.

“Not an excuse, but fine. What is it? Do you need help?” Ethan looked at his wife, impressed.

“My patient doesn’t want to take his meds. I don’t know what to do.”

“Let me tell you this. Talk to him, find out what he likes, and then use that information to get him to take it. It always works.” She smiled at the young woman, remembering how she was in her place just under two years ago.

“Okay. Thank you…”

“Dr. Ramsey!” a nurse called out from behind them.

“Yes?” both Ethan and Claire responded simultaneously, looking at one another while laughing softly.

“Oh, sorry, I mean Dr. Claire.” She smiled, handing her the chart.

“Thank you.” Claire took the papers into her free hand, keeping the other around her husband.

“Dr. Ramsey and Dr. Ramsey.” The nurse nodded her head towards both of them before walking away.

The intern was stunned, clearly not expecting to be talking to Dr. Ramsey’s wife. She didn’t even know he was married in the first place! Right now, the sternest doctor in the hospital had his arm around the redhead’s waist, looking over her shoulder as she read the chart.

“Once again, thank you, Dr. Ramsey. I’ll get to my patients now.” she bid both of them goodbye, leaving the couple alone.

Ethan pressed a small kiss to the back of her head, taking a deep breath, the scent of orange blossoms making his heart go soft. The effect that woman had on him was scary, there wasn’t a thing he wouldn’t do to make her smile. That’s all he wanted, all he needed to be happy. See her bright smile, even if he wasn’t the reason she was smiling.

“It’s nice to hear my new name again. As a matter of fact, that was what made my day. For multiple reasons.” She interlaced their fingers together, leaning back against him.

“Oh really, Dr. Ramsey? Do tell. How did your new name make your day better?”

“Well, first of all, it’s your name. It ties me to you, states that I am yours and you are mine. But the story that made my day happened this morning. I got to the morning rounds, they were said to have them with Dr. Ramsey. I think you know who they expected.” She snickered, remembering their confusion. “So, the real kicker started happening when one of the interns noticed me. And he took me as his new flirting target…”

“_What?_” she felt him tense, his grip on her tightened, his breathing got elevated. That made her turn around, placing her hands on his cheeks.

“Hey, calm down!” laughing, she stroked his cheekbones slightly. “He came up to me, started flirting, really badly in my opinion, but I _may_ be a little biased because of a certain attending…” she trailed off, looking at him with a suggestive grin. It brought a smile onto his face, exactly what she wanted. “… and I just laughed, told him that he really doesn’t want to try it with me, but he didn’t listen and just kept going. I let him talk my ear off for a couple of minutes, before Zaid came and called Dr. Ramsey. You can imagine their faces when I stepped to the front and introduced myself as…”

“… Dr. Clarissa Ramsey. Has a nice ring to it, wouldn’t you agree, my dear wife?” he leaned down, pressing a lingering kiss to her lips, pecking her a couple of times.

“Ethan… I have… to go… and so do… you…” she tried speaking, but he kept on interrupting her with kisses. “… see you later?”

“I’ll be missing you, Mrs. Ramsey. You saved my life, now go save others.”

“I’ll be counting seconds, Mr. Ramsey.” With a final kiss, she left him to his thoughts.

Later that day, he was sitting in his office chair, taking a break. The light caught his wedding band, reflecting it softly as he touched it. he remembered the moment really vividly, as though it happened moments before.

\------

_The quiet chapel made out of wood. The soft lights of the chandelier and candles. The sweet scent of flowers in the air. The colorful shadows from the windows._

_And her._

_The way her hair was pinned up and away from her face in an elegant manner. The subtle shimmer of her dress, the ivory lace complementing her hair and eyes. The long veil, adorning her face, making her eyes stand out. The flowers she was holding, matching the ones in the chapel. A soft smile on her face, lighting up his whole world. And her eyes, looking straight at him, only at him. _

_She reached the end of the aisle, mere centimeters away from him. He extended his hand towards her, taking hers and squeezing it gently. They were finally where they were meant to be. Together. And from now on, it would always be that way. _

_They wrote their own vows. They were filled with happiness, care and love. So much love, he wouldn’t believe it if he didn’t feel it. He felt his heart flutter in his chest every time he looked at her. Pride overflew him, realizing that from this point on, everyone would know that he was hers and she was his. No one could deny their feelings for each other._

_“When I first met you, I didn’t know how deeply I would fall. Nothing could have prepared me for the intensity of my feelings for you. I knew you were special, right in that first moment I laid my eyes on you. As time went on and I got to know you more, the feeling I didn’t recognize at the time continued to grow, only to burst eventually. Now I know, that what I felt was love. I didn’t fall in love with you. I walked into love with you, my eyes slowly opening. You opened my eyes, helping me see the world. Helping me see you. I believe that everything happens for a reason, I believe in fate, and that things we are fated are the things we would do anyway. Because I would choose you, always. No matter where we would be, how far apart, in what universe or time. I would find you. And I would choose you.”_

_Claire had tears in her eyes as she listened to his words. He held onto her hands, his eyes on her, never wavering or leaving hers. He bared his soul to her, in front of everybody, putting his love out into the world for everyone to see. He has come so far since she met him, and she was proud that he let her be there to see it._

_“Ethan… ugh, how am I supposed to top that?” she laughed as a tear fell down her cheek, their audience laughing along. Ethan smiled, wiping the tear softly. “You were always a person I deeply admired. From the moment I met you, I knew you were going to be someone special to me. I didn’t know how special you were going to become. You are always in my head, always by my side, even if you are not really there. You are my best friend, my greatest companion. You inspire me in so many ways, I’m not sure if you are even aware of that. I love it when you let your walls fall down and you let me in. I love it when you let me hold you, just because you want to be close to me. I love it when you let me take care of you, because I know how hard it is for you to let anyone see you weak. I love you. I love you so much. I love you every day and every night, every hour, minute, second. You are my soulmate, the most incredible man I know. You are my everything, Ethan Ramsey. I will always love you, with every beat of my heart.”_

_They were both crying, emotions taking over. He couldn’t believe that in mere seconds they would be forever bonded, never to be apart again. Their wedding bands, both in a similar fashion, with their names engraved inside, were placed on their fingers._

_“I love you.” he said as he placed the ring on her finger._

_“I love you.” she responded, sliding the silver band onto his finger._

_He connected their hands, rings touching softly, lifting them up to his lips, pressing a tender kiss on the cool metal. His eyes never left hers, the undeniable love and desire filling his blue irises. The moment he heard the words he has been dying to hear, the awaited “I pronounce you husband and wife, you may kiss the bride”, his arms wrapped around her waist, pulling her close. His one hand rested securely on her upper back as the other moved lower. In one confident and fluid motion, he dipped her towards the ground, capturing her lips with his in a soaring kiss. She laughed at his actions, bringing her hands to his face, stroking his cheeks softly as she gave into the sensation. He smiled, the sound of her laughter his favorite music._

_They were together now. After all the hardships, they were finally here. And they would never be apart._

_\------_

He loved remembering that moment. Everything about it made his heart race. He came back to that day with his thoughts regularly, still unable to believe that she chose him. It brought him comfort and happiness. He was so deep in his thoughts that he failed to notice the door opening and closing, a figure approaching him slowly. Only when he felt a hand on his cheek did he snap out of his state of mind, turning to see Claire, leaning over him.

“I wonder what got you so engrossed in your thoughts.” She murmured, looking at him with curiosity in her eyes.

With a smirk, he placed his hands on her hips, hauling her onto his lap. She let out a surprised squeal, grabbing onto him for support as he pulled her closer.

“What I’m always thinking about. You. is that so unusual?”

“No, it’s not. I turned you into a sap, Dr. Ramsey. A big, strong and _incredibly attractive_ sap.” She whispered against his ear, running her lips along the shell of his ear. “What exactly were you thinking about?”

“Our wedding day. How beautifully that dress adorned your perfect body. How you reduced me into feelings and emotions with only one look. How much I loved you that day, almost as much as I love you now.”

“Oh man, what a day it was. I seem to remember our first dance, the most effortless dance of my life, even though all my dances with you are that way, and the cutting of the cake, which was quite eventful, wouldn’t you agree?” she laughed as she laid her head on his shoulder, hugging herself into him.

“Yeah, it was a day full of surprises…”

\------

_The ballroom they decided on was matching the soft interior of the chapel, the flowers and color schemes similar, easy on the eye and incredibly beautiful. The subtle music flowing through the air. He pulled her closer, one hand on her waist, the other holding hers softly. They swayed to the music, slowly and without a single care in the world. Their foreheads touched, eyes locked, breathing the same air._

_“I forgot how good it feels to have you in my arms, Mrs. Ramsey.” He mused, hugging her to him closer._

_“You held me five minutes ago, Mr. Ramsey.” Laughing softly she stroked her finger along the column of his neck._

_“Way too long ago if you ask me.” _

_Their noses touched, nuzzling against one another. Ethan closed his eyes, breathing in her scent, his grip on her waist tightening even more as he led her in an elegant and gentle dance. _

_“I can’t believe you are mine.” _

_“I’ve been yours for a long time, Ethan.” She whispered softly, running her fingers through his hair._

_“I have been yours for what feels like ages, Claire.” _

_Their lips met in a kiss, soft at first, gaining passion as time went on. He ran his hand up and down her back, teasing her softly, squeezing from time to time._

_“If you don’t stop that, I might need to drag you into some room. That wouldn’t look too good, Dr. Ramsey.” She warned, her words breathless, filled with longing. _

_“I’m sure they would understand. In fact, now that you’ve mentioned it…”_

_“No. We are not escaping our own wedding to have sex in a closet.”_

_“Who said I was talking about a closet.” He flashed her a smile, which gained him a laugh from her. She swatted his arm with her palm playfully. _

_“Behave, Ramsey, and you might get lucky later.” She winked, wrapping her arms around his neck and resuming their dance. He held her closer as they talked quietly, the world around them disappearing. _

_ \------_

“I love dancing with you.” Ethan said as he looked into her eyes.

“Likewise. But I think that cutting cake is a moment to remember.”

“I still can’t believe you did this.” he laughed, kissing her cheek tenderly.

“Oh come on, you’re saying it as though you didn’t retaliate…”

\------

_When the time came to cut the cake, everyone gathered around the table, the married couple in the center. The tall sweet treat stood proudly in the middle, three layers of chocolate cake. Claire insisted on that flavor, keeping in mind how much her fiancée loved chocolate. _

_Ethan stood behind her, embracing her delicately as his hands covered hers. They made two clean cuts, placing the piece of cake on the plate, turning towards each other. He sank a fork into the rich cake, and was about to feed it to her, when he felt her fingers swipe across his cheek._

_Covered in cake._

_She smeared the cake onto his cheek and took off, running away from him, her laughter ringing through the air. He was confused for a few seconds, realizing eventually what happened. He put the plate down, a wide smile on his face._

_“Come back here, Ramsey, own up to your actions!”_

_“You’ll never take me alive!?” she exclaimed, escaping his reach time and time again._

_After a few minutes of chasing each other, accompanied by the cheers from their guests, he finally caught her. His arms grabbed her by her waist, pulling her back against him. He pressed his cheek against hers, transferring the cake onto her skin. She had a look of utter disbelief, almost as though she couldn’t believe he was able or willing to do such thing. He leaned in, kissing the cake off her cheek, licking his lips afterwards._

_“Delicious.”_

_“Are you proud?” she laughed, leaning in to mirror his action._

_“Absolutely. Besides, the cake tastes better this way.”_

_ \------_

“Well, I had fun. And based on your reaction, so did you.” she mused, the vision of that moment flying before her eyes.

“The day is very high on my list of best moments of my life.”

“So it’s not number one?” she looked at him in surprise.

“The number one is when you told me you loved me for the first time.” He hugged her, running his hand over her hair. She sank into his embrace, inhaling his scent. They spent the next ten minutes in each other’s arms, in complete silence, resting comfortably. Eventually, she sat back up, stretching a little as her husband looked at her, amused.

“As much as I’d love to sit here forever, I believe we have lives to save.”

“You are right, Dr. Ramsey. I’ll see you at home?” he asked, but didn’t let her answer, pressing his lips against hers. She responded immediately, turning in his lap for easier access. Her movement drew out a low moan from him, his hands tightening on her hips, pressing them closer together.

“You’re making it… awfully difficult… to leave you…” she whispered in between kisses, tangling her hands in his hair, biting down on his lip.

“We’ll pick this up later.”

“I’ll hold you to it, Ethan. Now, I really need to go.” With a final peck on his lips, she stood up and left, smirking to herself.

\---------

Ethan finished his shift two hours after his wife, having some unexpected complications with one of his patients. When he walked through the door, the scent of cooked meat hit his nose, making his mouth water. In the kitchen he was met with the sight of his wife, standing by the stove, cooking their dinner. He noticed a chocolate cake on the counter too, the sweet scent flowing in the air. He approached her, placing his hands on her hips, his mouth by her ear.

“Is it a special occasion, Mrs. Ramsey?” he pressed a kiss against the skin behind her earlobe. A shiver ran down her spine.

“I don’t really need a special occasion to do something nice for my husband. I just like making you smile.”

Preparing their meal and carrying it to the table, they talked about their day. He poured them both a glass of wine, passing her one, then clinking them in a toast.

“To the first day back. May our names cause as much confusion as possible.” Claire laughed, meeting his eyes. All she saw was amusement and love. So much love.

“To our life together. And many, many more moments together.” The way she smiled made his chest swell with pride. What did he do to deserve a woman like her, he didn’t know.

They ate quietly, glancing at one another not so subtly, the tension rising, the atmosphere growing thick with every second that passed. When they were cleaning up, he suddenly remembered one detail of the day that made his mind go into overdrive. Standing closely behind her, so close that she could feel his breath on her neck and his warmth on her back, he wrapped his arms around her, pressing himself against her.

“So you said that this intern hit on you today?”

“I somehow knew you would bring that up.” her words came out as a shuddered mess, his closeness making her body tremble with anticipation. He placed a line of slow, hot kisses down her neck, reaching the place where her shoulder began, sucking on the skin softly.

“What do you think I should do about that? You think I should teach him a lesson?” he turned her towards him, kissing her properly, trapping her between the counter and his body.

“Are you implying that you plan on making out with me in the hospital hall? Scandalous, Dr. Ramsey!”

He laughed, kissing her again. His hands trailed down her body, paying attention to every part he passed, before settling on her thighs, picking her up, carrying her to their bedroom. She pressed her palms to his cheeks, their lips locking in a sweet and tender kiss. Blue met green, sparkling in the dim lights of the room, soft smiles blooming on their faces, foreheads touching.

“I love you.”

“I love you too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We reached the end! I hope you enjoyed the journey, it's been a pleasure, having you here. Until next time!  
-P


End file.
